Coloring with Toddlers: 2 Simple Tips

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We have a little one a little under the weather. I think it is allergies, but when she feels bad, she is much less active than normal. It gives us an opportunity to color. This is usually a very short-lived activity, lengthened dramatically by stuffy noses and sneezes. But the problem with coloring with our toddler (and I know we are not alone in this) is the mess that can be created. Crayons all over the floor, on the table, everywhere. In fact a few have been broken by being stepped on (not a good thing for the crayon or the stepper!).

So, we were working on coloring when I came up with an idea to keep crayons and paper on the table. By the magic of contact paper and tape, coloring can be (somewhat) cleaner. It takes only a moment to set up a coloring station for your toddler to help them keep everything in place and stabilize the “target.”

To Keep Crayons on the Table:

Take a small piece of contact paper and tape it down to your coloring surface, sticky side up. Place crayons on the contact paper. The stickiness of the contact paper will keep the crayons in place, but will allow them to be easily moved by little hands.

To keep the paper on the table:

Simply tape the corners of the paper to the table with masking tape. It is easily removed and will not damage your surface. It helps your toddler work on fine motor skills, without having a moving target. I have noticed that toddlers do not know to hold down the paper with their other hand, allowing the paper to shift constantly. They simply color with one hand. This solution helps keep the paper in place, so they can color longer without frustration.

Do your toddlers love to color? How to do you keep it from becoming a HUGE mess? I would love to hear your tips!

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Hi! I am Leah from Simple.Home.Blessings. So glad you are here! I am a wife & mom trying to do homemaking without fussiness; seeking to find joy in the everyday things of life. I write about raising kids, building a nest for my family, the pennies we get from heaven, & being devoted to God & one another.

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